R v Thabo Meli (1954) explores intent in criminal acts. Four defendants, believing they had killed a man, disposed of his body, causing his actual death. The case ruled that consecutive actions, driven by a single intent, constitute one transaction in law, forming the basis for criminal liability.
Unity of Act and Intent: When a series of acts are part of a preconceived plan, they are treated as one transaction in law. In R v Thabo Meli, the intent to kill persisted across the defendants’ actions, regardless of their belief that death occurred earlier.
